From: Isabel Arnold <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: voluntary ESOL teaching
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sunday, 17 June, 2012, 21:23

Like Jo and Cheryl I no longer teach (paid) ESOL.
But I am now teaching beginners/low level groups in the community on a voluntary basis; women who are unable to access mainstream ESOL.
Some have been told their English is not good enough (ie to pass an exam), some have not been in the country long enough - or too long - to access certain programmes. For some the cost of a class is prohibitive and for others it is the times and venues of the classes.  
A few have subsequently progressed to other classes from my groups. Staff at the venues ( a primary school and a community centre) have said the women are becoming  more confident, including the long term residents 'whose English isn't good enough' to join accredited classes. They are very keen and attend regularly.
Both learners and I really enjoy our time together working at English and using English in conversation.
Isabel Arnold, Bradford

> Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2012 12:39:35 +0100
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: The Problem with ESOL
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> I, too, miss my students and working with them. We generally achieved a
> collegial, co-operative atmosphere together which made the classroom part of
> the job a reward for all the paperwork. And like Jo, I learned from my
> students all the time.
>
>
> Cheryl Thornett
> Birmingham
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Josephine Bamford
> Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2012 9:02 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: The Problem with ESOL
>
> I don't usually comment on this forum but feel I must say hooray for Sam
> Shepherd's positive email. I no longer teach ESOL (redundancy) and I really
> miss it. Teaching ESOL has so many positive aspects, not least being the
> students, who are generally highly motivated and interesting adults with a
> wealth of life experience to bring to the classroom. This leads to a rich
> and stimulating learning environment for student and teacher alike. I used
> to look forward to every day of 'work' as I knew I would learn something new
> too!
>
> Jo Bamford
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
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*********************************** ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds. To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at: http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm To contact the list owner, send an email to [log in to unmask]